kelley



A. KELLBY.

(Model.)

GRSBT STAY.

N0.,-288',6 11. Patented Aug. 21, 1883. 15:91,

#Miln/Zell@ (74%@ AUSTIN KELLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEWT YORK.-

CO RS ETSTAY.

SPEGIFIGATIQH forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,611, dated .august 2.1., 18.83. Application ined January 11, i883. (Mosel.)

To @ZZ whom .it may concern.:

Be it known that l, AUSTIN KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, and State 0i' N ew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corset-Stays, of which the following is a speeieation.

My invention relates to certain improvements in corsets, bristles, hoop-skirts, and analogous articles; and it consists in a novel method of covering the stays, busks, or wires, whereby they are securely attached to the fabric composing said articles, and so securely and perfectlysealed therein as to exclude both the moisture of perspiration as well as the `water used in cleansing the same, thereby obviating all necessity of removing said stays, busks, or wires, as well as avoiding the discoloration oi the covering, caused by the gradual oxidation oi' the metal, caused byperspiration.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is aview of a single stay covered with gutta-percha tissue according to my invention.` Fig. l is a cross-section, enlarged, of Fig. l. Fig. 2is a view oi aportion of a corset-body partly broken away to show two of the stays projecting. Fig. 2a is a cross'section, enlarged, of one of the stays exposed to view in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a rear, View of a portion of a corset-clasp inclosed, a portion of the covering fabric being turned back to display the busk. Fig. 3 is a cross-section, enlarged, of Fig. 3. Fig. et is a section showing the method of stitching the body and applying the covering tothe buslr.

A in said drawings indicates a corset-stay,v

or it may be a bustle-spring or hoop-skirt wire, saidstay, wire, or spring being made oi' metal in the usual form, the object of my invention, as already stated, being to not only so cover such stay, wire, or spring as to eX- clude moisture, but also to afford means for securely attaching the said parts to the fabric, of which they forni component portions. I propose to accomplishboth purposes in the manner following. y

B indicates a fabric composed of a material known as gotta-perche. tissue,77 which consists of an extremely light sheet of gutta-percha, which is cut into strips of suitable length and breadth for my purpose. Upon this strip of tissue I lay a strip, C, oi' any light textile fabric-such as common inuslin or any equivalent material-and these combined in this manner are wrapped around the stay, the textile fabric, paper, or other material being outside, while the guttapercha tissue is within and nent to the metal stay. The parts being in this position and the two strips tightly drawn around the stay, heat is applied in any suitable manner, whereby the gutta-perchais immediately melted andl driven into the interstices of the outer cloth or paper covering. The moment the temperature falls below the point of fusion the guttapercha solidies, and the result is a hermetically closed seam or joint between the edges of the coveringstrips, the remainder of the body of the staybeing surrounded by the impervious covering already described. A convenient method of accomplishing this result is to pass the stay covered in the manner described between heated Y rolls, a groove being formed in said rolls of the necessary dimensions. By this method it will be seen that the 4fusion of the inner sheet of gutta-percha tissue will take place upon both faces as well as upon each edge of the' vstrip of textile fabric or paper that there shall be an edge, c, of the tissue which projects beyond the covering-strip B', of muslin or other fabric, as shown in Figs. 2 and 2a. The stays prepared iuthis manner are inserted in the pockets or bone casings` of the corset, as shown in Fig. 2, and a hot iron being passed over the surface, it is evident thatthe fabric C of the corset will be united to the projecting edge c of the gotta-perche., thereby sealing the several stays in place, while at the saine time the covering surrounding each stay is efi'ectually sealed, and the textile fabric and gutta-percha tissue composing it are united in one homogeneous material, as already described. p

For the purpose of covering the corset-clasp, and atthe saine time attaching it to the material composing the corset, I adopt the construe` tion shown in Figs. 3 and 3a. in these gures,

IOO

D indicates the busk, which is of the usual form and is provided with studs b b, Ste. This busk is covered by an inner covering composed of a suitable textile fabric, c, and the guttapercha tissue A, already described, laid outside the fabric c. The outer covering, which forms part of the corset-body, consists of a double layer of fabric, E F, stitched together longitudinally, as shown at c, Fig. 4. The edges E and F are then opened, and the busk D, with its covering` of muslin or other fabric, c, next the metal, and a strip of gutta-percha tissue, A, outside, is inserted between' said folds E and F. The folds E F, on the other side of the seam e, are then opened and turned over upon the folds E F', as shown in Fig. 3, and a line of stitching, i, is run near the edge of the busk, so as to pass through the fourfold out er g covering, as well as the inner layer of muslin and gutta-percha. y The studs b are allowed to project throughthe material, inclosing the busk in the usual manner. The whole being subjected to heat from an iron, the seams are her metically closed, although the stitching will ordinarily be amply sufficient to accomplish this result.

It is evident that this inventionmay be applied with equal advantage to hoop-skirts, bustles, and other manufactures, the great advantage being that by covering the wire or springs in the manner set forth they may be not only made to adhere securely to the fabric of which they form part, but also may be so sealed from the moisture of the body, as well as the water used in cleansing them, as to prevent all staining from the oxidation of the metal. v

.By fastening the stays in the pockets of the corset in the manner described I greatly increase the wear of the article. \Vhen the stays are applied in the` usual manner, being loose -in their pockets, they are apt to twist and work backward and forward in such a manner that their movement will 4destroy the fabric composing the body of the corset beforethe ordinary wear by the person would become perceptible. This objection is wholly obviated by my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isy l. The combination, with a corset-stay or other analogous article, of a covering of guttapercha tissue, combined with an outer layer of fabric, the two being united and the lap closed by the application of heat, substantially as described.

2. A corset-stay ,covered by an inner strip of gutta-percha tissue and an outer layer of textile fabric, the former having an edge projecting beyond the lap of the latter and thereby exposed, as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a corset having stay-pockets formed by stitching, of stays covered with an innerstrip of gutta-percha tissue and an outer layer of textile fabric, the former having its edge projecting beyond the lap of the latter and exposed to contact with the inner surface of the pocket, to which itis united by heat, substantially as described.

4. The methodhereinbefore described of cov;

Vering corset-stays and sealing them in place in their pockets, consisting in covering the stays with a fabric composed of gutta-percha and textile material, leaving an exposed margin of the former, and, after inserting it in the pocket, applying heat, by which the exposed guttapercha is fused' into the material composing said pocket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

AUSTIN KELLEY.

witnesses;

JAMES L. Nonnrs, J. A. RUTHERFORD. 

